Known It for a While
by Innoverse
Summary: Maybe they'd never actually said the three little words, but they'd known. It was implied, almost. But just maybe, it was better to hear it out loud, even just once. One-shot, Percabeth. K plus for injuries. MoA spoilers.


**Hi! I know I haven't posted anything in forever, and I'm sorry... but here's a little Percabeth drabble to cheer you up. This happened when I was on tumblr and someone (arabbitateyoursock) made a post about there being a big build-up to the real Percabeth 'I love you' (since the one of the docks seemed more playful), and I said it would probably happen in Tartarus, and then they asked me to write it out... so yes. It's kinda short, but 700 words is enough to post. **

**It's K+ because I'm not sure how everyone feels about a little blood. (or a lot)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJATO.**

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_**- Known It for a While: Annabeth's POV -**_

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"I—I'm fine," Percy gasped, stumbling a little ways. Annabeth grabbed his left arm and tried to steady him, since his other one was wrapped around his stomach as he doubled over.

"Percy…" she said, glancing around to make sure the monster had truly gone. They hadn't even been able to see what it was in the dark, but apparently it had some nasty claws, because it had swiped Percy across the stomach. He kept his arm pressed over it in an attempt to hide the wound from her. "Move your arm, let me see…"

Blood trickled down his fingers. "I'm… fine…" he panted again, his voice cracking.

"No you're not," Annabeth persisted. "Sit down and let me see."

Percy practically collapsed onto the ground, his back sliding down the wall of the tunnel they were walking through. He was clutching the wound with both of his hands, trying to stop the bleeding. Annabeth could still see the crimson liquid leaking around his fingers and soaking into his shirt. Her heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest as she knelt down next to him, touching his wrists gently.

"Percy," she murmured softly.

He finally moved his arms. The gash stretched all the way across his waist—just above the hem of his jeans. It looked fairly deep, and was bleeding rather heavily. Percy was already starting to look pale, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. His forearms were practically painted red.

"Oh my gods," she whispered.

"Oops?" Percy offered weakly. He looked terrified.

She cupped his cheek with one hand. "Relax," she told him. "I think we have water in the backpack…" She dug around in the backpack she'd had slung over her shoulder, praying that their water bottle would still have at least _something_ in it. She wouldn't let him bleed out.

She fished the bottle out, and held it up to her face. There was some in the bottom, but not a lot. She swallowed hard and bent over him, rolling up his t-shirt and gently pouring it over the gash. He hissed in pain, and the gash healed a little bit, but she ran out of water before it could heal completely. He was still trickling blood, and it was running down his stomach and dripping onto the floor.

"That's not good," he wheezed. "That's not good at all."

"It's okay…" Annabeth tried, though it clearly wasn't. Her hands hovered over his stomach, her mind scrambling in an attempt to figure out what to do. He was staring at her, his face pale and his hands still laying by his side, bloody. There had to be something she could use for bandages…

She started to fumble around in the backpack again, her hands numb from the cold of Tartarus. Didn't they have ambrosia left? Or nectar? Or something that she could use to stop the bleeding?

"Am I going to die?" Annabeth looked up. It was a rather blunt question, but Percy had always been a blunt person, she guessed.

She dropped the backpack and reached out to touch his hair. "No, Percy," she promised. "Not on my watch."

"You're not wearing a watch," he pointed out.

"It's a metaphor, Seaweed Brain."

They sat in silence for a little while, Annabeth letting his head rest on her shoulder, her fingers combing through his hair. She could feel his heart pumping faster, and his breathing become increasingly more labored. She didn't know what to do except let it clot on it's own and pray to the gods that he'd didn't get an infection.

"I love you," he mumbled suddenly.

Annabeth blinked. "What?"

"I love you," he said again. "I think I've known it for a while."

"I…" Annabeth's voice caught a little, and she hugged him closer. "I love you too, okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled. "I just needed to let you know that."

"I'm pretty sure I already knew, Percy."

"How?"

She looked at his face. "Do you honestly know anyone else who would fall into the pit of evil just so their girlfriend wouldn't be alone?"

"Do you know anyone who would count the seconds when their boyfriend went missing?"

She smiled a little. "Maybe we've both known it for a while."

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**And there you have it. Percabeth fluffiness. :P**

**Feel free to follow me on tumblr, my url is sallyjacksoning****. We talk about some crazy things...**

**I hope you enjoyed! Reviews, as always, are appreciated. ;)**

_**P.S. Has anyone else read the Variant/Feedback books by Robison Wells? I feel like I'm the only one. :x The second one (Feedback) came out the same day as MoA.**_


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